Israel’s strength and consolation, hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation, joy of every longing heart.
Most especially when we were very young, we looked to our parents not only for love and encouragement but also for protection. When you enter someone’s house and there is a toddler present, that child, if he or she does not know you, most likely will make a beeline for mom or dad. The toddler will hide behind the parent because the toddler knows the parent is a means of safety.
We look for safety all throughout our lives. We find it, initially, in our parents until we grow old enough to find it within ourselves. We learn to be as safe as possible in all that we do. We buckle seatbelts, do not text while driving, and employ all sorts of other precautions.
Ultimately, the Christian knows that our only true safety, our strength and consolation, comes from the Lord. God’s people, wandering in exile longed for that strength and consolation. God’s people today, amidst a world that is set against God’s Kingdom, long for the strength and consolation that comes from God.
In order to appreciate and recognize God’s protection, we have to focus less on ourselves and more on God. We cannot protect ourselves from evil, sin, and death. That can only come from the Lord. God, the dear desire of every nation, will come to us in our need if we ask Him.
If we insist on doing things on our own, He will allow us to walk away. God has never and never will revoke free will. But, if we want to be assured of a means to defeat what comes our way in this world, we must rely on Him.
FAITH ACTION: Turn to the Lord rather than to worldly promises for the hope that you need this day.